# recession

/ˌɹiˈsɛʃən/ (US) · /ɹɪsˈɛʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/recession
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. economic decline

noun · CEFR B2

a difficult time for a country's economy when there is less trade and more people lose their jobs.

For teachers: a period of temporary economic decline during which trade and industrial activity are reduced, generally identified by a fall in GDP in two successive quarters.

- Many small businesses had to close down during the last global recession.
- Economists warned that the aggressive interest rate hikes could inadvertently trigger a deep recession, leading to widespread unemployment across the manufacturing sector.

### 2. moving backward

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the act of something moving away or backward from a previous position.

For teachers: the act or instance of receding or withdrawing from a limit, point, or previous condition.

- The recession of the floodwaters finally allowed people to return to their homes.
- The gradual recession of the coastline due to rising sea levels has forced local authorities to reconsider their urban planning strategies.

### 3. eye surgery

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a type of eye surgery where a muscle is moved to a new position to fix how the eye moves.

For teachers: a surgical procedure in which an extraocular muscle is detached from the globe of the eye and reattached further back to weaken its action.

- The doctor recommended a muscle recession to correct the child's crossed eyes.
- The surgeon performed a bilateral medial rectus recession to address the patient's persistent esotropia and improve binocular alignment.

### 4. church exit

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the formal walk out of the choir and priests at the end of a church service.

For teachers: the ceremonial exit of the clergy, choir, and altar servers from the chancel at the conclusion of a religious service.

- The congregation stood in silence during the recession of the choir.
- Following the final blessing, the organist played a triumphant march to accompany the recession of the clergy through the nave.

## Examples

- The country is currently in a deep recession.
- During the last recession, many small businesses were forced to close because people stopped spending money on luxury items.
- Economists debated whether the aggressive interest rate hikes would successfully curb inflation or inadvertently trigger a prolonged recession that would take years to recover from.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.